


whispers in the dark

by Arzani



Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Death, F/F, Gen, Genderbend, Genderbending, Skillet, Songfic, Whispers in the Dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 15:32:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5132807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arzani/pseuds/Arzani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darkness had been a constant companion in Shanks' life. From the day Roger was executed until the day Blackbeard attemps to steal Luffy's life. But one is there, whispering soothing words in the dark, easing the fear of a pained heart. - Genderbend AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	whispers in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> Songfic to the song: whispers in the dark from Skillet. The fic is dedicated to "This-damned-right-eye" for a wonderful peace of art and betaed by lunarshores (Thank you so much).
> 
> Bee = Benn  
> Portgas D. Anne = Portgas D. Ace

[Whispers in the dark ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omuYo49_SOQ)\- Skillet  
The lyrics used in the fic are not 100% accurate, I left out some verses to match the lyrics better to the fic.

* * *

 

 _Despite the lies that you're making_  
_Your love is mine for the taking_  
_My love is just waiting_  
_To turn your tears to roses_

When Bee had found her, she had been fifteen. She had just lost the man she had always called her father, even though he hadn't been her real one. But Shanks had grown up on the Oro Jackson, Gol D. Roger her captain, her idol and the man she truly adored. He had shown her everything she needed to know to sail, be a proper pirate and a captain herself, and she had to see him on an execution platform, murdered by people who called it righteous.

Shanks had helped her out of a miserable situation. Trapped by marines, Bee had really thought she was done for, but Shanks got herself into danger to help her. It may be the moment her world had shifted and opened its arms to a new direction. It certainly showed her a new way of living.

It was only weeks later, when Bee had long decided that Shanks was the person she wanted to follow, she found out about the darkness surrounding her young captain. The darkness of nightmares, of loss and anxiety. Shanks was suffering from the loss of Roger, the man who had granted her a home since she had been eight. He had picked her up from the streets where she had fought to stay alive. Now it all was gone and darkness was gripping her into a tight embrace.

What Bee hated the most about the whole situation was that Shanks lied to her face. Whenever the girl – she could hardly call herself a woman, she was only eighteen – asked, Shanks told her she was fine. Bee knew it was lie. She could hear her screams in the night. But she had promised herself, that she would help, as Shanks had helped her. Bee's own darkness was slowly fading, with each day Shanks reminded her of how big the world was and what all she needed to see. She wanted to see all of it, Bee wanted to discover the world and its beauty. She wanted to be strong and brave, and she wanted to take away Shanks' unseen tears.

  
_I will be the one that's gonna hold you_  
_I will be the one that you run to_  
_My love is a burning, consuming fire_

The first few weeks Bee tried to ignore Shanks' nightmares, the screams and tears. It wasn't easy to pretend she was still asleep, and with each night the pain lasted, the pretending became harder. How could she just sit idly by, without doing anything? She didn't want to disturb Shanks' privacy, but she also didn't want the girl to suffer.

It was just another night – Shanks had been as cheerful as ever during the day, as if nothing had happened to her– when Bee couldn't stand it anymore. This had to stop. With a concerned face she flung back her light blanket and pulled her captain into a comforting hug, waking her up from her nightmare and soothing her. At first, Shanks could only stare, but when the warm touches found their way into her heart, the tears started to fall.

Bee tried to be Shanks' comfort zone that night. She was her safe haven, holding her close and stroking her hair, her red flaming hair, which seemed to burn. But it was Bee who was the fire that warmed Shanks, made her relax and after so many nights of restlessness fall asleep without the haunting pictures of a cheering crowd, blood, and helplessness.

It was only one night then, but the next followed and after that one many others. Soon it was normal for Shanks to sleep in Bee's arms. The body of her first mate was her protection from darkness in the night, and her constant soothing presence the torch during a dark day..

  
_No, you'll never be alone_  
_When darkness comes_  
_You know I'm never far_  
_Hear my whispers in the dark_

Years had passed, the crew had grown greatly, and Shanks' anxiety had slowly vanished. Her nightmares had faded into more pleasant dreams, even though the insecurity had never truly stopped. Shanks still had problems with finding a peaceful sleep when she was alone. She just couldn't relax enough, and alcohol was a good solution to drift into unconsciousness. Bee had watched the habit with growing worry but couldn't make herself say much. When the crew had gotten bigger, Shanks had refused to sleep next to her, calling it a sign of weakness in front of her crew-members.

The first mate accepted Shanks' decision, because she never drunk when the ship and the crew was in danger, and the captain could hold her liquor very well. Shanks cared for her crew and would do everything to keep them safe. They were their family now, and Bee loved the other women just as much as she loved Shanks. But whenever she could hear Shanks cry in the night – her quarters were right next to the captain's – she snugged into the woman's bed, wrapping her arms around her and whispering soothing words. Bee couldn't stand still when she knew Shanks' darkness tried to consume her and with each word she hold it at bay.

  
_You feel so lonely and ragged_  
_You lay here broken and naked_  
_My love is just waiting_  
_To clothe you in crimson roses_

Bee had been worried, when Shanks had given her arm to save the young girl. But she shouldn't have worried too much. Yes, Shanks had been reckless, yes, Shanks had been dangerously wounded, but after all nothing of her strength had faded. She had tried even harder, after their Doc allowed the captain to train again, and worked her way up to her old power. Bee could see how well Shanks managed tasks, and she herself wondered whether she would ever be able to do with only one arm. Maybe it was the pride in Bee's chest that Shanks valued life more than a limb that let her smile, when she thought of that incident, even though a little nagging feeling stayed, which told Bee she could have been faster, better, and taken that last bandit out as well. But Shanks had told her over and over again it wasn't her fault, and in the end Bee could only believe her captain.

When Shanks had become a Yonko, the whole crew had celebrated. But in a peaceful moment Shanks had told Bee, she wasn't sure if times like these, when they were able to party, would last. There was a shift in the air, a far away presence of change, and Bee knew as well as Shanks that a war would come. The both women hated losing a loved one the most and they held each other for a short moment, convincing each other that it would turn out right, even though it was a lie.

The darkness started to slowly but permanently invade the world, when Blackbeard murdered one of his supposed brothers and Portgas D. Anne couldn't be stopped from following him. Many lives were lost, consumed in bittersweet despair during that faithful day when the strongest man of the world lost his life in battle and Luffy had to hold her sister when she died protecting her.

Shanks wished she had been earlier to stop the war, but she had been able to prevent further bloodshed. But too many had died on that day and the image of a man on an execution platform, watched by a cheering crowd had come back. If it hadn't been for her ever constant first mate, holding her in the night, when no one else was around to see, Shanks was sure she would have gone insane. Instead she sucked in the warmth of Bee, the strong but caring arms around her back and the soft kisses. They felt like rose petals on her skin and made Shanks wish this would last forever.

  
_I will be the one that's gonna find you_  
_I will be the one that's gonna guide you_  
_My love is a burning, consuming fire_

People had called the war at Marineford the greatest battle in history and for over two years it had stayed like it. But then the Straw-Hats had returned and life had changed again. Shanks had watched the events with calm but concerned eyes. Nothing would be like it was before, and her biggest fear was to lose one of their crew. The women were her whole family, and she wanted to protect them with all costs. They hadn't lost anyone of the Redhair Pirates during the war at Marineford. But Shanks had never considered that war as their own one.

It was about half a year later, when a battle took place in which the Redhair Pirates fought on their own. The darkness had spread, and finally manifested in one person permanently. Blackbeard was dangerous, and Luffy was eager to take him out. Not only because she considered him the main reason her sister died, but because he stood in the way of her dream to become the Queen of pirates.

However, Shanks knew that Luffy would fail. Blackbeard had become a serious threat not only to pirates but to civilians as well. He didn't care, he would do anything to reach his goals. Shanks didn't want to see Luffy die, not like this, so she stopped the Straw Hats before it was too late. The redhead had her own history to settle with the man, though. He had been the one who inflicted the three parallel scars over her eye, and also had nearly taken Bee's life on that day. Shanks would never forget what had happened.

The battle wasn't as big as the one in Marineford, but it cost so much more for Shanks. She had told her crew to be careful and to avoid any reckless situations. She somehow had forgotten that the Redhair Pirates weren't ones to listen closely, and Blackbeard attacked her, and Rockstar threw herself in between. The woman died in Shanks' quivering arm, smiling and telling her captain to be more careful.

Shanks knew she wouldn't have made it, without Rockstar, but she would have rather died than see one of her crew dying. The rage in her just erupted like a volcano. They had been far from winning, and there was blood straining the ground. But at that moment Shanks' temper snapped. Her conqueror's haki took down foe but unfortunately also friend, and only a few remained standing. Blackbeard was one of them. He looked death in the eye when Shanks attacked. Her hits were precise slashes of devastation, but they consumed her, gave way for the darkness in her and Blackbeard took advantage of it.

When Shanks was pinned to the ground, Blackbeard hovering over her, she knew she was done for it, and all she could think of was how she had failed her crew. The images of all the women who were part of her family flashed before her, and tears started to drip when she noticed that Rockstar's sacrifice had been a waste. How could she let down all the people she loved?

  
_No, you'll never be alone_  
_When darkness comes_  
_I'll light the night with stars_  
_Hear my whispers in the dark_

Seconds went like hours, and a lifetime passed. Blackbeard kicked her in the stomach, laughing. His filthy hands snatched Shanks' beloved sword out of her hand and held it at her throat. Then time stood still for a moment, before a loud “No” tore the silence apart. Shanks' eyes darted to the side, to see a familiar straw hat and two gray eyes she knew and loved so well. While Luffy continued the fight she had lost, Shanks was engulfed in a warmth that managed to hold the darkness at bay. Bee held her, her face hidden in red strands, crying. Each tear was like a star, lighting up the night, at least for a short moment.

Time was irrelevant, but after a while Bee managed to get herself back together, while the precious pearls of Shanks' tears were still flowing. Her tears were far from stopping, trying to heal her broken soul. But her first mate managed to get her and the crew off the battlefield, while the Straw Hats did what Shanks hadn't been able to do. She had underestimated the girl, but now the fight was over. Nonetheless the darkness still craved for what it deemed to be theirs.

If it hadn't been for the crew, Shanks would have broken under the loss of Rockstar. She had made the wrong decision, she was sure of it. She wanted to quit being captain: she didn't trust herself anymore. She felt like she had fallen into a deep, dark hole, unable to get back to the surface. She had tried so hard but failed eventually. Unable to do anything fears mixed with anxiety and nightmares.

  
_No, you'll never be alone_  
_When darkness comes_  
_You know I'm never far_  
_Hear the whispers in the dark_  

Rockstar's funeral was hard, but to see Shanks fade into the darkness was even harder. She had more than once announced she would quit being the captain, and the crew had more than once declined. No offense to Bee, but they would not accept anyone else as their captain other than Shanks. Bee was a wonderful first mate, and the woman didn't want to be anything else. She was the first to tell she wouldn't accept Shanks' quitting. After a while Shanks accepted she wouldn't be able to step off her position as captain, but her loss of sleep and her weary appearance showed how hard it was for the woman.

Days passed without significant change, only the worry of the crew increased. They feared of losing Shanks. The woman still suffered from her wounds but didn't seem to fight. After two weeks Doc told her to go sleep in her own quarters again. She needed to get back to routine or all of the Redhair Pirates would crumble. Shanks had lost her will to go on, chained tightly by her past and the darkness containing it.

Bee tried hard to not lose it, working hard to lead the crew while Shanks wasn't able to and not freak over her captain's lost laugh. She didn't sleep much, only a few hours a day, so it took her a while to figure out Shanks wasn't sleeping as well but crying in the night, unable to close her eyes. When her captain's body took out from exhaustion, nightmares startled her, and she woke from her own screaming. The darkness had her in her dangerous embrace and refused to let go.

It all too much reminded of their early years, Bee knew it, and she knew Shanks wouldn't make it without some comfort. So she did what she always did. She snuck into Shanks' room during the night, wrapped her arms around that shivering body and held her close. Soothing words left her mouth and tried to scare the monsters away. It wasn't easy and the darkness fought hard, but after a while Shanks slipped off into sleep again, while Bee went on and on, whispering words of love in the dark. She didn't stop until her own sleep overtook her, and they both woke up the next day, holding close to each other.

She still whispered them on the next day. She knew one day wasn't enough and maybe a lifetime wouldn't be, to finally erase the darkness in Shanks' soul. She had lived a life of loss, and there was a lot of room for pain. But there was also love, and Bee wanted to hold onto that love and onto the laughing smile she adored so much. She would always whisper her words of reassurance and be the fire that scared the darkness away. As long as it was needed and as often as necessary she would whisper, to bring back that laughing woman, who was essential for a whole crew to live and who was Bee's life.

  
_Whispers in the dark_  
_Whispers in the dark_  
_Whispers in the dark_


End file.
